1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, an imaging method, and a recording medium storing a control program thereof. The imaging apparatus emits a strobe light and images a subject.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, when imaging a subject in a dark environment, an imaging apparatus, such as a digital camera, mainly emits a xenon strobe light and images the subject. This xenon strobe light includes a xenon tube and a capacitor. Electric charge (voltage) charged in the capacitor is used to flash light from the xenon tube, and then is recharged after it decreases.
Also, a consecutive-emission strobe light device including two xenon tubes has been developed (refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open (Kokai) Publication No. Heisei 6-95222). In this technology, after one xenon tube flashes light, the other xenon tube flashes light. Thereby, the strobe light is consecutively emitted in a short time interval.
However, in the technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open (Kokai) Publication No. Heisei 6-95222, the voltage in the capacitor drops every time the strobe light is emitted. Therefore, consecutive emission is limited, and strobe light photography cannot be performed several consecutive times. Although the strobe light can be emitted by recharging the capacitor, a certain amount of time is required to charge the capacitor, and thus, it is hard to say that strobe light photography cannot be consecutively performed.
An imaging interval at which strobe light photography is consecutively performed is also limited, and so the strobe light photography cannot be consecutively performed at a high speed.
In addition, according to Japanese Patent Laid-Open (Kokai) Publication No. Heisei 6-95222, a first light emission (emission by one xenon tube) and a second light emission (emission by the other xenon tube) may be consecutively performed in a very short time interval. However, strobe light photography cannot be performed several consecutive times. When the imaging interval is shortened (when imaging speed increases), a process of charging the capacitor and emitting the strobe light cannot be performed in time. The strobe light cannot be synchronously emitted each time imaging is performed.